Ribbon protector



6, 1958 R. o. MARKES 2,849,096

RIBBON PROTECTOR Filed July 5, 1957 IN V EN TOR.

gOBERT (RLAND MARKES (9mm 3 GCFU ATTORNEYS United States Patent RIBBON PROTECTOR Robert Orland Markes, Detroit, Mich. Application July 5, 1957, Serial No. 670,301

5 Claims. (Cl. 197-151) This invention relates to a ribbon protector, and more particularly to a means for mounting and feeding a protective tape formed to protect the inked. ribbon of a writing. machine of the type. having. individual type bearing members which are selectively actuated to cause an impression through the inked ribbon. This, invention is specifically an improvement uponthe ribbon protector disclosed in Patent No. 2,699,244 of Orland W. Markes, issued January 11, 1955.

As disclosed in the patent mentioned above, in writing machines using inked ribbons, it is desirable to protect the inked ribbon against the impact of the type bearing members and also to protect the type from becoming clogged with ink, dirt, and the like, by positioning a cloth tape on the side of the ribbon facing the type. The object of this invention is to permit the use of a protector tape which is wound upon spools of the same general character as the inked ribbon spools and to provide a means for mounting the tape spools, for positioning the tape in alignment with the ribbon, and for feeding the tape so that the writing machine type strikes a clean portion of the tape on each impact.

A further object is to provide a tape mounting and feeding means wherein the spools of tape may be mounted upon the same spindle which carries the inked ribbon spools, and wherein the tape is fed into alignment with the inked ribbon and is fed along with the inked ribbon.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of which the attached drawings form a part.

With reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top schematic view of a writing machine, such as a typewriter, with the invention hereof mounted upon the machine.

Fig. 2- is a perspective schematic view taken in the direction of arrows 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, a writing machine, such as a typewriter, is illustrated and is generally designated as 10. The invention hereof can be used on such machines as typewriters, computing machines, tabulators, etc. It is contemplated to use this device on all of those types of machines which use inked ribbons and wherein type bearing members are used either one at a time, as in a typewriter, or in groups, as in a tabulator, to selectively force an impression through the inked ribbon to print the impression upon a piece of paper backed by a roller or platen or the like.

The machine illustrated here includes a platen 11 upon which the paper is rolled and type bearing members 12 which are arranged to be selectively pressed against the inked ribbon impression portion 13 to force an impression through the ribbon at that point and to print the impression upon the piece of paper backed by the platen. The impression portion 13 is formed by the conventional bracket arrangement 14 through which the ribbon is threaded.

The machine also includes the conventional inked ribbon spools 20 mounted upon opposite sides of the impression portion 13 and carried by spindles 22 wherein the inked ribbon 21 is fed from one spool to the other because of movement of the'spindles which are geared into, the writing machine. Normally, the spindles rotate upon. each impact of a type bearing member so'thatthe ribbon 21 would. be advanceda. short distance after each impact to thereby present a new inked area for each succeeding impact.

The improvement hereof is as follows: First, the spindle 22. is. extended. upwardly a short distance and a second pair of spools 24 are mounted upon the same spindles so that the spools 24 rest upon thev ribbon spools 20. The spools. 24 carry a protector tape 25 having the ends thereof rolled about each of the. spools 24. The protector tape may be formed. of any suitable cloth material, such as a nylon material, cotton, etc., with the object being to have a clean material which will be directly contacted by the type bearing members and which will. prevent these. type. bearing members from directly contacting, the ribbon itself andthus from becoming clogged with ink and the. like.

As can be. seen. in Fig. 2, which is a view looking at the ribbon, and type arrangement from the direction of the-platen, the ribbonv spool and the tapespool arenot in the same plane. Thus, to position the ribbon and tape in alignment at the'impression area 13, a pair of worms 28 are provided. These worms are in the form of rods which are rotatably mounted upon a support bar 29 and are positioned one on each side of the impression area 13 and in the plane of the impression area so as to hold the tape taut in the impression area.

The worms are geared to the spindles 22 so that they rotate with the spindles in order to feed the protective tape. Thus, the lower ends of each of the worms 28 are worm toothed at 31 to mesh with a gear 30 which in turn is operatively connected to a gear 32 meshed with the spindle 22 at Worms 33. The connection between the gears is provided by a shaft 34. Thus, the rotation of the spindles 22 through the conventional mechanism of the writing machine, likewise results in rotation of the worms 28.

The tape 25 is spiral wound at 35 around each of the worms 28. The spirals begin at the top or near the top of the worms and extend downwardly so that the tape is brought down into alignment with the ribbon 21. Preferably, the ribbon 21 also passes into contact with the worm 28 so that the ribbon and the tape travel together and are in contact with each other between the two worms and are held taut within the aligning bracket 14 at the impression area 13.

With this construction, the tape and the ribbon feed simultaneously so that the tape continuously presents a clean area to be struck by the type bearing members. When the tape is completely exhausted from one spool to the opposite one, it may be then rotated back and wound back to the spool where it came from. In the alternative, the tape may be removed and a new pair of spools carrying a clean tape may be substituted.

This invention may be further developed within the scope of the following claims. Accordingly, it is desired that the foregoing description be read as being merely illustrative of an operative embodiment of this invention and not in a limiting sense.

I now claim:

1. In a writing machine of the type embodying an inked ribbon and a plurality of type bearing members arranged in spaced relation to the inked ribbon and selectively movable into engagement with the inked ribbon at an impression position for forcing an impression therethrough and with the inked ribbon being of the type which is wound about a pair of spaced spools, each mounted upon a spindle with means provided to rotate the spindles to feed the ribbon in a proper direction to wind upon one spool and unwind from the other spool to thereby continuously change the ribbon portion at the impression position; the improvement comprising, an additional pair of spools mounted on the spindles with such additional spools carrying a protector tape wound about each, and means for aligning the protector tape with the inked ribbon and between the inked ribbon and the type bearing members at the impression position and for holding the protector tape taut at the impression position, said means comprising a pair of spaced worms aligned in substantial parallelism with the spindles and each arranged on an opposite side of the impression position, with the tape spirally wound about each worm and with the ribbon passing about the worm at the end of the spiral winding whereby the tape is positioned in alignment with the ribbon between the two worms.

2. A construction as defined in claim 1, and including means for synchronously rotating the worms about their axes in the same angular direction wherein the tape is unwound oil one spool and spirally wound about the worm nearest that spool and then spirally unwound off the opposite worm and wound around the opposite spool.

33. A construction as defined in claim 2, and including means for synchronously rotating, in the same angular direction, the spindles and worms to simultaneously feed the ribbon and tape past the impression position.

4. A construction as defined in claim 1, and including gear means operatively associating each worm with the spindle nearest it whereby rotation of each spindle simultaneously causes rotation of the worm in the same angular direction to thus feed the tape past the impression position.

5. In a writing machine of the type embodying an inked ribbon and a plurality of type bearing members arranged in spaced relation to the inked ribbon and selectively individually movable into engagement with the inked ribbon at an impression position for forcing an impression therethrough and with the inked ribbon being of the type which is wound about a pair of spaced spools, each mounted upon a spindle with means provided to rotate the spindles to feed the ribbon in a proper direction to wind upon one spool and unwind from the other spool to thereby continuously change the ribbon portion at the impression position; the improvement comprising, an additional pair of spools on the spindles each mounted on top of a ribbon spool, with the additional spools carrying a protector tape whose ends are wound about each of the additional spools respectively, and means for carrying the tape into alignment with the ribbon and for positioning the tape between the ribbon and type bearing members and for holding the tape taut at the impression position, said means comprising a pair of worms each positioned at an opposite side of the impression position and positioned substantially in the plane of the impression position, with the tape spirally wound downwardly about each worm, thereby aligning the tape portion between the worms with the ribbon.

No references cited. 

